What is getting lost in the uproar about cutting back state subsidies for public education in Pennsylvania is the fact that nearly every school district in the state was planning to raise property taxes before Gov. Corbett announced his 2011-12 budget.

The beef taxpayers have is with their local school districts, which raise taxes every year. School boards have done a terrible job of balancing their budgets over the years.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Rep. Joe Pitts (PA-16) released the following statement after a Congressional briefing on the Obama Administration's military mission in Libya:

"Today, my colleagues and I were briefed on the Libyan engagement by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen. Unfortunately, many of our questions remain unanswered.

"My first concern is that we are refusing to admit that this is a war. If anybody fired 160 missiles at us, flew bombing missions and sent in attack gunships, we would call that an act of war. This engagement and our involvement in it are both ill defined.

"Even after today's briefing, it is obvious that we do not have a clear picture of the Libyan rebels. In fact, there are reports that Al Qaeda militants are involved in the fight against Qaddafi. When we engage American forces, we must have clear goals and a strategy to accomplish these goals.

"As a young man, I fought in the Vietnam War, another engagement with unclear objectives and uncertainties about our allies. I know that the men and women of our armed forces are conducting this engagement with dedication and professionalism. The President should first seek direction from Congress, which has the constitutional power to declare war. Then he has a responsibility to give our troops the tools and direction to achieve the mission he has laid out for them.

Rep. Doug Reichley (R-Berks/Lehigh) will hold three town meetings for residents of Pennsylvania's 134th Legislative District on April 6, 9 and 16.

From a Reichley press release:

"I know many of you have questions about some of the proposals in Governor Tom Corbett's state budget recommendations," said Reichley. "Check for a town meeting time and location that suits your schedule. I hope to see you there and await your questions."

Three town meetings are scheduled on the following dates at three locations:

For more information, or to RSVP, contact Reichley's district office at 1245 Chestnut St., Unit No. 5, Emmaus. The phone number is (610) 965-9933. Reservations are suggested, but not required. Walk-ins are always welcome.

According to a Roll Call survey of vehicles parked on Capitol Hill and at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, as of mid-March, lawmakers were carrying at least $15,000 in outstanding tickets — ranging from expired meters to speeding camera violations — and potentially thousands of dollars more.

Tom Corbett would have much better success in bringing fiscal sanity back to Pennsylvania after eight years of insanity under Ed Rendell had he recommended that all elected and appointed state officials would take pay cuts along with his proposal to slash state spending. Shared sacrifice means everyone, not just unionized state workers and teachers.

Wisconsin is not the only state where leftist thugs have behaved inappropriately. In Idaho an education reform bill that would have eliminated tenure and seniority and allowed more charter schools to be established drew the ire of unions. The superintendent of Idaho's public schools, Tom Luna, who championed the reform plan, had his car vandalized. One protestor even showed up at the home of Luna's mother.Read the full column at the link below:

Mark W. Hendrickson, a fellow for economic and social policy with The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College, offers a look at the huge debt former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell left behind for future generations:

That indebtedness soared 93 percent under Rendell. In total, Pennsylvania's state debt swelled 82 percent in eight years to $43 billion.

March 23 marks the one-year anniversary of President Obama's signing of the health care reform bill. On the day of the signing, the President singled out a business owner for praise saying, "I'm signing it for Ryan Smith, who's here today. He runs a small business with five employees. He's trying to do the right thing, paying half the cost of coverage for his workers. This bill will help him afford that coverage."

The President said that Ryan was trying to do the right thing, but Obamacare might still penalize his business. In fact, the law requires employers to pay more than 50 percent of employees' health coverage. If they fail to do so, they pay a hefty fine.

It seems like almost everyday we see new facts about Obamacare that don't square with the talking point promises that were made in the run up to passage. One of those talking points was that 4 million small businesses, like Ryan Smith's, would receive tax credits to help pay for covering employees.

Unfortunately, Obamacare's definition of small business is much more restrictive than typical. Only businesses with 25 or fewer employees qualify for credits. The Small Business Administration has a variety of definitions for the size of a "small" business. The definition ranges from 50 to 1,000 employees, depending on the industry. This means tens of millions of workers are employed at business too big to qualify for this help.

Every American was promised that if they like their plan, they could keep it. According to a survey by the National Business Group on Health, 26 percent of companies plan to discontinue insurance for current and future retirees. According to this same survey, over one-third of businesses are revisiting their health care strategy for workers and may exit the market.

To prevent millions of workers from losing their health care coverage right now, the Department of Health and Human Services has handed out more than 1,000 waivers to the law. While HHS is wise to grant flexibility for employers, the huge number of waivers demonstrates that the law is poorly written.

Despite all of the claims that Obamacare would reduce the cost of insurance, the Medicare actuary and the Congressional Budget Office have both crunched the numbers and found that spending increases because of the law. Overall spending on health care increases by $311 billion in the coming years.

Without the various budget gimmicks included in Obamacare, the law actually increases the budget deficit. In recent weeks, we've also looked close at some of the various spending programs contained in the bill. The program to set up health insurance exchanges in all 50 states actually has no cap on spending. The HHS Secretary can spend as much as she feels is needed.

While we estimate that Obamacare could increase the national debt by $701 billion over ten years, there are potential cost overruns everywhere. The bill could end up being much higher.

What do we get with Obamacare? Even after full implementation, millions of Americans will still go without insurance. This week, the Health Subcommittee took a look at the CLASS program contained in the law. In two decades, this program will go bankrupt, prompting another taxpayer bailout. Over 80 percent of businesses say the law has increased their administrative burdens.

I know that we can do better, but government mandates and bureaucracy won't expand care and increase the quality of health care. The United States came to its position as the world leader in health care innovation because we have a dynamic system grounded in free market principles.

The market works when prices are transparent and consumers have the freedom to make choices. As I lead the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, I'll be putting forward solutions that empower individuals to make their own choices. This means market-based alternatives like allowing for interstate competition, pooling across state lines, medical malpractice reform, giving individuals the same tax treatment as businesses, and reforming Medicare so that it works better for doctors and patients.

We have to repeal Obamacare, but we must still reform a health care system that excludes far too many Americans. The best way to provide is not by government mandate, but by empowering individuals.

Rep. Joe Pitts is a Republican who represents Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District in parts of Berks, Chester and Lancaster counties.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

As we approach the one-year anniversary of President Obama signing into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Peter Ferrara, senior fellow for health care policy at The Heartland Institute and author of "The Obamacare Disaster," has this to say about the ill-conceived government takeover of the nation's health care system:

"Obamacare is a disaster. Rather than liberate the American health care system from bureaucracy and waste, it blankets it with more of both, suffocating innovation and destroying freedom. The result is a system that is inconsistent with the freedom, prosperity, high living standards, and traditions of the American people."

Read more of what Ferrara has to say about the centerpiece of the failed Obama presidency at the link below:

To this president's way of thinking, high gas prices are a solution, not a problem. Cheap energy is the launch pad of a soaring economy, one beyond government (his) control. And this president wants control: over what we eat (less), drive (smaller) and live (lower thermostats).

Eric O'Keefe, chairman of the Health Care Compact Alliance, released the following statement to mark the anniversary of the President Obama's signing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:

"It is clear that the President was right about one thing: The American health care system was financially unsustainable.

Proponents claimed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act would address the symptoms. But the early evidence is that it limits freedom and increases costs. This is evidenced by the 1,040 waivers granted to states and organizations that sought exemptions from new regulations.

Our healthcare system is too large and too complex to manage at the federal level -- and too important to be debated outside the earshot of citizens. The Health Care Compact enables citizens to engage in the policy process at the state level, and to prescribe laws that match the needs of their communities.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Pennsylvania Democrats and their liberal media allies are making way too much out of a special election for a vacant state Senate seat in which 8 out of 10 registered voters didn't even bother to show up at the polls.

THORNS to Gov. Tom Corbett for reneging on his campaign pledge to end legislative grants known as WAMs and approving more than $48 million in pet-project grants. The requests had been submitted during the administration of former Gov. Ed Rendell, and a Corbett spokesman said the new administration felt an obligation to honor them. Tell that to local school districts, who feel there should be an obligation to support public education. Or, to taxpayers who believe Corbett has an obligation to clean up Pennsylvania's legislative spending practices. All told, the Corbett administration provided a list of more than 1,200 grant applications it was approving from programs previously submitted. The biggest grant was for $5 million for a nonprofit-run statewide program called the Fresh Food Financing Initiative. WAMs, state grants known as "walking around money," are requested by legislators to court favor in their home districts. In his successful campaign for governor, Corbett aired a TV ad attacking WAMs, in which he said, "The first thing we're going to do is put a stake in the heart of the WAMs program. Millions of dollars spent on legislative pet projects with little oversight." Maybe it could be the second or third thing he does.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted today by a 228-192 margin to defund taxpayer subsidies to National Public Radio, a far-left propaganda operation.

If liberal elites want their own radio network, let them pay for it.

NewsBusters publisher and Media Research Center president Brent Bozell released moments ago:

Republicans said today that the arrogant liberal sneers at taxpayers in Flyover Country deserve to be met by NPR raising its own money in its own fancy cafes. And an organization that admits catering to a "core audience that is predominately white, liberal, highly educated, elite" is among the last that should survive budget cuts if legislators are serious about cutting unnecessary spending.

We applaud the 228 Representatives who stepped up to say so with their votes in the House today. If the Senate and President Obama really care about reckless spending, they'll pony up and do the same. The time is now to stop wasting taxpayer dollars on funding NPR.

Ed Rendell may be gone but the aftermath of his disastrous tenure as governor of Pennsylvania are still being felt today.

A new Franklin & Marshall College Poll of Pennsylvania voters released today shows that most Pennsylvania residents don't believe the state has recovered from Rendell's fiscal mismanagement.

Here are the poll highlights from Terry Madonna, director of the F&M Center for Politics and Public Affairs::

1) Most (53%) Pennsylvania adults believe the state is headed in the wrong direction, and most say they are worse off (31%) or the same (57%) financially as they were last year. Equal proportions of adults believe they will be better off financially (27%) as believe they will be worse off financially (26%) in the coming year. Pennsylvanians feel no better about their financial conditions than they did last fall.

2) Most state residents believe the state's financial condition is bad (47%) or very bad (31%), although only one in five (20%) believes Pennsylvania is in worse fiscal condition than most other states. Residents generally have confidence in Governor Corbett's ability to handle the state’s budget problems, as 53 percent express confidence (8% very, 45% somewhat) while 39 percent lack confidence in the governor, (23% not very, 16% not at all)

3) There remains strong opposition to increasing the state income and sales tax—only one in four (27%) residents supports increasing the income tax and only one in three (36%) favors increasing the sales tax. There is strong support for taxing the companies that extract and sell natural gas (62 percent favor while 30 percent oppose) and an even larger percentage of residents favor taxing smokeless tobacco and cigars (72 percent favor while 26 percent oppose).

4) Pennsylvanians are not in favor of the education cuts proposed by the Corbett Administration. Funding cuts to school districts are opposed by 78 percent of respondents while cutting funding to public universities in the state is opposed by 67 percent of respondents. Cuts to Medicaid do not draw much support either (70 percent of Pennsylvanians oppose these cuts).

5) Two in three (64%) Pennsylvanians favor selling the state liquor stores.

6) Respondents were divided about reducing the pay and benefits of state employees (47 percent opposed while 45 percent favored the reductions) although three in five (60%) support reducing the number of state employees.

7) Pennsylvanians are divided in their opinion about how to handle the state's fiscal situation. Two in five (39%) state residents believe the state should balance its budget through program and service cuts while a similar proportion (38%) believes the state should both cut spending and increase taxes to balance the budget. Few (6%) believe that tax increases alone are the way to solve the state's budget problems.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

There's a reason Pennsylvania's 11th State Senate District has been represented by a Democrat since it was created in 1961.

It's one of the most heavily Democratic legislative districts in Pennsylvania.

The 11th District includes the City of Reading, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 5-1 margin. The most recent voter registration numbers show 82,727 registered Democrats to 48,674 Republicans in the 11th District.

Democratic Sen. Mike O'Pake first won the Senate seat in 1972 and had two more years left in his current term when he died Dec. 27 at age 70 from complications following heart surgery.

Democrat Judy Schwank, a former two-term Berks County commissioner, won the special election Tuesday to finish O'Pake's term, with 20,124 votes to Republican challenger Larry Medaglia's 14,794.

Even with Schwank's victory, Republicans hold a 30-20 majority in the state Senate. Republicans also control the state House and the governor's mansion.

State Rep. Warren Kampf (R-Chester/Montgomery) has announced that the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has authorized a Summer Turnpike Program for college students.

From a press release issued by Kampf's office:

Several positions are available, including toll, maintenance and clerical. Candidates applying for toll collector positions must be available to work any of the three shifts over a 24-hour period, including Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. All positions reflect a 40-hour work week and run from May 1 to Sept. 30, is limited to 16 weeks per employee.

The application is available online at http://www.paturnpike.com/pdf/SummerApp.pdf. All applications must be submitted to Representative Kampf's Harrisburg office at 429 Irvis Building, PO Box 202157, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2157.

Larry Medaglia makes a pretty strong argument about why Berks County voters should elect him Tuesday. He would be part of a GOP majority for the next two years. 11th District residents would have a seat at the table. His opponent would have the least seniority in the minority party.

Rep. Tom Quigley (R-Montgomery) will host a town hall meeting via telephone for residents of the 146th District at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 14.

From a press release issued by Rep. Quigley:

"In light of the recent budget proposal from Governor Tom Corbett, I am interested to hear what people have to say," Quigley said. "I am hosting this town hall-style conference call to give everyone I represent the opportunity to find out what is going on in Harrisburg and our community and also ask questions without having to leave their home."

At approximately 7 p.m. on March 14, automated calls will be placed to residents of the 146th District inviting them to participate in the hour-long call. Quigley stressed that at any point during the phone call, people will be given the chance to ask questions by pressing *3, and he will try to get to everyone's inquires during the allotted hour.

A new website reminding Berks County voters of Democrat Judy Schwank's record of raising taxes has been launched.

The site - 52% Judy Schwank - takes its name from the fact that Schwank voted to raise property taxes by a total of 52% when she was a Berks County Commissioner.

"Judy Schwank Has Experience: She Knows How to Raise Our Taxes" states the website.

In addition to her record of raising taxes, the site also has information about a campaign contribution Schwank took in 2003 from former state Sen. Vince Fumo, who is now serving a federal prison sentence after he was convicted of corruption charges last year.

The site also disputes Schwank's claims of creating jobs while she was a county official.

The Republican candidate for the special election in the 11th Senatorial District (which was held by the late Sen. Mike O'Pake and covers most of Berks County) is Larry Medaglia, the current Register of Wills in Berks County.

Tuesday, March 08, 2011

His first budget address, delivered Tuesday, was as sharp a contrast as you will get between the slick, polished, media-savvy Ed Rendell and Tom Corbett, a prosecutor who still doesn't feel comfortable in front of large crowds, even after being elected governor of one of the nation's largest states.

Corbett was all business Tuesday as he addressed a joint session of the Pennsylvania Legislature. The subject, digging out of the fiscal mess left behind by Ed Rendell, was a sobering topic.

Corbett tried a couple of funny lines, but his delivery was off. If you're looking for charisma, start changing the channel until you find Charlie Sheen.

Corbett is at his best when he talks straight to fellow Pennsylvanias. It's a refreshing change from "Fast Eddie" Rendell, who had trouble telling the truth.

The Commonwealth Foundation gave Corbett a solid "B" for his message. That's a big improvement considering the same group gave Ed Rendell eight straight "F" grades on his budget addresses.

Here's the CF press release analyzing Corbett's speech:

The Commonwealth Foundation graded Gov. Tom Corbett's budget address a solid B today in its call to end the tax-borrow-and-spend approach to budgeting that placed Pennsylvanian in the present fiscal crisis.

"Unlike the past eight years that earned a fiscal grade of F, this budget puts the taxpayers first and deserves a solid B for not increasing taxes, reducing expenditures, and putting the taxpayers' interests first," said Commonwealth Foundation President and CEO Matthew J. Brouillette. "But much more can be done to limit state government to its core functions and begin reducing Pennsylvania's ranking as the 10th highest tax burden in the nation."

Brouillette praised the governor's call to give taxpayers greater control over school property tax increases above the rate of inflation, but encouraged him to go further. "Act 1 of 2006 failed to control property tax increases, and homeowners are paying for that legislative failure today," said Brouillette. "But we should give taxpayers a say over any and all tax increases. These are the taxpayers' schools and they should decide if they want to pay a penny more for them."

The governor also called for wage rollbacks and salary freezes for state workers who received pay increases while the private sector lost jobs. "Gov. Corbett gave great hope that Pennsylvania can end the inequity between private-sector taxpayers and government employees who enjoys better health care benefits, better pensions, better job security, and an earlier retirement," said Brouillette.

"In calling for ‘collective sacrifices' in the union bargaining process, Gov. Corbett asked state government workers to share in the same economic reality and burdens the taxpayers have every day," said Brouillette. "With 17 of 19 state union contracts set to expire in June, this is a reasonable approach to restoring the balance of power back to the taxpayers of Pennsylvania."

Setting the agenda for greater school choice and expanded privatization to include ending the state monopoly over liquor, Gov. Corbett called for "reality-based budgeting" by changing the budget focus from inputs to outcomes and having government prioritize spending based on well-defined core functions.

"This is a big step in the right direction, but it only slows the runaway tax-borrow-and-spend train that is state government," said Brouillette. "Pennsylvania still has a lot of work to be done, but we are hopeful this governor and this General Assembly will keep the promises they have made to the taxpayers."

The Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition, a statewide education finance reform alliance, has endorsed Republican Larry Medaglia in the March 15 special election for the 11th Senatorial District.

In making its endorsement, the PTCC pointed to Medaglia's "unequivocal support for the principles embodied in the previously introduced School Property Tax Elimination Act legislation that will abolish school property taxes for all Pennsylvania homeowners and restructure a crumbling, antiquated education finance system."

Medaglia has pledged to support renewed efforts to eliminate school property taxes if he is elected to the Legislature, the PTCC noted.

"For 30 years, the homeowners of Pennsylvania have been deceived time and time again by phony, unsound property tax relief schemes and false promises of property tax reform," said David Baldinger, spokesman for the PTCC. "Larry Medaglia has taken a definite stance on this vital issue with his pledge to work for the passage of legislation supported by the PTCC that will at last give legitimate, sustainable relief to the homeowners of Pennsylvania through total school property tax elimination."

The PTCC is a member of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations, an alliance of 50 grassroots taxpayer advocacy groups across Pennsylvania dedicated to the equitable education funding reform through the principles and mechanism of the School Property Tax Elimination Act.

A really dumb move by Corbett's staff. This was a campaign rally to help a Republican win office. Instead the focus is on Corbett's secrecy and downright rudeness. Sneaking out a backdoor? The local TV station gave the event 15 seconds on the air since Corbett pulled the plug on coverage. The KGB-style actions of Corbett's staff ruined it for all.

The Chamber cited Medaglia's business experience and his commitment to hold the line on taxes and help bring jobs to Pennsylvania as key reasons for its endorsement.

"We are pleased to endorse Larry's candidacy," PA Chamber President Floyd Warner said in a statement. "Pennsylvania businesses and taxpayers need a senator who understands what it will take to move Pennsylvania forward, and Larry is such a candidate. His business acumen and commitment to pro-growth initiatives are crucial to our membership and our collective mission of fostering a healthy business climate in Pennsylvania. His determination to keep Pennsylvania vibrant and strong economically will benefit his constituents and all Pennsylvanians."

Medaglia is a former small business owner in Berks County and previously served as a legislative aide to one-time state Rep. Paul Angstadt, the chamber noted. Medaglia is currently serving his fourth term as Berks County Register of Wills/Clerk of Orphans' Court.

Warner said he welcomed Medaglia's pledge to work to lower the detrimental Corporate Net Income tax and phase out the Capital Stock and Franchise tax in an effort to make the Commonwealth more attractive to employers.

Medaglia said he was humbled and honored to receive the Pennsylvania Chamber's endorsement.

"As a state senator, I pledge to meet regularly with business leaders to exchange ideas and develop an action plan to attract new enterprise to Pennsylvania," he said in a written statement. "It is my goal to also ensure that existing businesses remain strong and viable."